Police pursuits being reviewed to cut carnage

Police chases across the country are under review after a string of fatal crashes.

The Independent Police Conduct Authority and New Zealand Police started the joint review in July.

About 300 drivers flee police every month.

The review wants to understand pursuit environments, and to identify issues with how police manage them.

The about 75 police pursuits reported to the authority between January 1 and December 31 - those involving death or injury - will be examined, plus a 10 per cent random sample of about 200 other chases between July 1 and December 31.
A joint working group will meet fortnightly.

The authority said "a more general review of all pursuits" will help the police and the conduct authority better understand how pursuits are managed.

The report is expected to be made publicly available late next year.

Police pursuit figures

• October 2016 to September 2017: Seven deaths and 662 crashes.
• October 2015 to September 2016: Six deaths and 521 crashes.

Recent fatal police pursuits

• July 24: Police pursued a motorcyclist for one minute in Mangere before the 32-year-old motorcyclist crashed on Buckland Rd.

• August 9: A 39-year-old man died on Whangaripo Valley Rd, Wellsford, after he fled police following a failed breath test.

• September 10: A Gisborne man died after a police pursuit in Frasertown, Wairoa.

• September 27: A fleeing vehicle crashed on Scott St in Cambridge. A 27-year-old Hamilton man died at the scene.

• October 9: A police pursuit in Otara results in the death of the 15-year-old driver of a stolen car.

• October 23: Two people die in a crash during a pursuit on St Lukes Rd, Morningside.